No More Tears
by Angel Grrl
Summary: Padme and Obi-Wan both think back on events that have led up to Anakin's turn to the dark side. Padme has Luke/Leia. I like it! r&r please!! (Obi/Padme and Ani/Padme) depends on perspective


A/N: Here's my little SW ficcie. Please enjoy. Appropriate mood music to listen to is Celine Dion "A New Day Has Come". ^_^ REALLY APPROPRIATE!  
  
Disclaimer: I own diddly-squat.  
  
"No More Tears"  
By: Angel Grrl  
  
The expectant mother peered out of the porthole and looked out into space. All that was visible were stars, those damn stars. How they gleamed so happily and merrily. How they brought joy and romance to far-away couples, both looking upwards together. How cruel they were that they taunt her so with their beauty. The very things that had stolen her husband away from her, seemed to taunt her. His own ambitions, his own dreams...they were the stars. To visit each and everyone of them, and rule them as well. She sneered in disgust at them.   
As of lately, everything had disgusted her. From the ship she was flying on, to the little R2 unit that had saved her life almost twenty years ago. She couldn't stand to look at it anymore. It all reminded her of him. Anakin.   
He was the love of her life, her one, her only. He was her miracle. The only one who, in all the wars and all of the betrayals, had been the only one who truly understood her. He truly felt her anguish at her people's suffering, he truly understood her fear when she had the assassination attempts. He had been the one..the only. The only man she had ever given herself to fully. The only one she had ever loved, the only one she had ever made love to. And now, she never would again. He was dead now. Yes, Anakin Skywalker was dead. She knew that Obi-Wan blamed himself. She had watched him when he thought he was alone. How he would curse his name and damn his master for ever finding him. Then he would consume whatever alcoholic drink that was available.   
Poor Obi-Wan. Her best friend was suffering just as she was. Sometimes, she was confused over who was hurting more. She, over the loss of her husband, or he, over the loss of his "son" and best friend. She looked towards the stars once again and began to think of the small life that dwelt within her.  
Gently rubbing her enlarged stomach, she began to think. How would she protect her child? She smiled at the thought, a child. Hers and Ankins. A symbol of their love. Something that was a part of both of them. She lovingly carressed her stomach again and was rewarded with a firm kick towards her hand. Yes, there was life. It was active and very awake. For a reason, unknown to her, she treasured this small being moreso than any star, planet, government in the entire universe. This was her salvation. This was the only thing that kept her from jettisoning herself into space, the only thing that made her not give up. As she sat there, lovingly rubbing her belly, she knew that no matter what she would make it through this whole ordeal, if not for her own life than for her child's. She wondered what Anakin would think of her, glowing and pregnant. So full of motherly love and affection that she thought she just might burst from it all. She wondered if he would have been there with loving arms to hold his child for the first time. What would he say? What would he think? Would he be proud?   
But alas, she would never know. He was Darth Vader now. A murdering tyrant whose only objective was to rule the universe. He was power-hungry and mad, unlike the loving man he had been not ten years ago. Yet, he had been mad then. He had even told her so, claiming that he was the best jedi that had ever been. He had even claimed that his own master was jealous of his abilities and was merely holding him back.   
She had never understood this line of thinking with him. It had all been so confusing to her. Why would Obi-Wan be jealous of Anakin? It didn't make sense. She remembered when Anakin had come to her in a fit of fury, and told her of how Obi-Wan was against everything that he stood for and was no longer the great master and friend that he had once been. Padme had come to his defense and said that her husband was being silly and probably had misunderstood his master's actions. Glaring at her, he had left their home in a fury and ended up in a pit of lava.  
What had done this? What had made him act so? Why didn't he even wait for an explanation of her actions? Was it because she had come to Obi-Wan's defense or was it something more? Did he suspect something? No, that was beyond foolish. There was none other than her beloved. Her Anakin.  
Easing her mind away from the past and her questions, she returned to the small computer screen in front of her and began typing away. It was soothing in a way. The clickety-clack of the keys as they slammed into the underside of the keyboard, all the while telling the story of whatever lay within her mind. It was her release after all. A way out. When she was engrossed in the computer, the world did not exist and neither did her husbands treachery. So engrossed was she, that she did not hear the sound of the door whoosh open. Nor did she see the young jedi looking at her.  
Clearing his throat, Obi-Wan Kenobi waited for her return back to reality and the cold hard truth. It was rare that he interrupted her when she was typing. It seemed to be her only release as of late. She was showing signs of stress, stress that was not good for her health nor for her baby. Her face had small, delicate lines of exhaustion. The ones that can only come from war and the loss of love. He didn't want to cause her any more pain than she had already experienced. He supposed in a way, that it was his fault. He had destroyed Anakin's spirit. He had been the one to murder him. That's right. He, Obi-Wan Kenobi, had murdered, in cold blood, Anakin Skywalker...and in the process, given birth to his people's destruction: Darth Vader. He was damned.  
Finally sensing the older man's presence, she gazed up into his face. His tired grey eyes gazed back at her green. She could see the first comings of wrinkles around them and knew they were not from age. His hair had begun to gray slightly around the edges and his mouth didn't have any more smile lines.   
  
"Was there something you needed, Obi-Wan?"  
"No, Padme. I just wanted to tell you that we would be landing on Alderan soon,"  
"Thank you, Obi-Wan," she said, smiling at him.  
  
Turning back to her small computer, she once again began to type. Once more, losing herself in her thoughts and feelings. Her mind still dwelling on the loss of her husband. But moreso, on the tiny life flickering inside of her...growing stronger every second. She took no notice of the jedi that, as he turned, seemed to remember something. He turned his head back to look at the young woman.  
  
"Be strong Padme," she stilled herself and gazed up at him, "We'll make it through this."  
  
He clenched his hands into a fist at his side.  
  
"We have to, Obi-Wan," he turned to look at her, "we have no choice but to be strong. Even though some of us would rather give up," she smiled up at him through her tears, ignoring the slight twinge in her belly, "but we mustn't do that, should we? *chuckle* We must be strong,"  
  
As if signaling the end of the conversation, she immediately threw herself into the computer screen once more and continued to clickety-clack on the keyboard.   
Nodding to himself, Obi-Wan walked back out of her room and waited for the door to close. After it finally did, he allowed himself to fall back onto the wall that separated them. How could she be so forgiving of him? He had killed her husband after all. HE was the source of her pain, not Anakin. He had been the one to knock her husband into that lava pit. HE had been the one who had ultimately turned Anakin to the dark side. HE had been the one. In all of his self-loathing, he felt something fall onto his hand and looked to see a tiny droplet of water. He touched his face and, to his amazement, it was wet. He had been crying. When was the last time he had cried? Oh, yes. He remembered now.  
It had been when Qui-Gon had died. Padme and her guards had found him in the generator room. He had been sobbing like a child. Cradling his master's limp body in his arms, rocking back and forth. He had been so lost then. It had been to his surprise that she had found him. He remembered feeling the warm, loving hand on his shoulder and then gazing upwards and seeing her face. Full of sympathy and sorrow. Not quite knowing what to do, she had knelt beside him and had gently pried his master's body out of his hands. Feeling it settle in, the reality of it all, he had lunged into her arms and screamed. He screamed for the world to hear, screamed for his dead master and father, screamed for the unfairness of it all, screamed just so he could scream. Soon, the screaming stopped and then he sobbed like a child. And like a child, she had held him until her guards came back and took his master away to be buried. He could remember not quite understanding where they were taking him, and he could remember reaching for the dead body that was being carried away. Seeing the hand that had held his own so many times, lifeless and limp. It just wasn't fair! Turning back to Padme, he had cried once more. Not sobbing violent tears, but quiet reserved ones. The tears of complete and utter hopelessness.  
Lost in his reverie, he did not hear the com-link buzz in his pocket until it rang once more. Jerking his head up and out of his daydreams, he swiftly wiped his face clean of any tears and cleared his throat before he spoke.  
  
"Yes?"  
"Obi-Wan? I need help..."  
  
Immediately, and without question, he ran into the small room and saw Padme doubled over in pain, clutching her abdomen. Eyes widening in horror, he ran to her side and slid across the smooth floor of the cabin and knelt next to her.   
  
"Are you alright? What's the matter? What--"  
"Obi-Wan...help me,"  
"Right,"  
  
Grabbing ahold of her arms, he gently pulled her into a standing position. She attempted to steady herself and walk, but found that it was near impossible to do so. Sensing her pain, he very carefully, lifted the young mother into his arms and hurriedly, ran her down to the infirmary.  
Racing down the multiple hallways with his precious cargo, the jedi general was screaming at the people in his way. Many obscenities were heard and many did not understand why. He was suddenly angry with the lot of them, and the whimpers of pain coming from Padme did nothing to soothe his temper. Holding her tightly he ran into the large elevator at the end of her floor and, awkwardly pushed the button that would lead them to the infirmary.   
The theory of relativity can best be explained in only a few words. It does not require mathematics, quadratic equations and it certainly has nothing to do with physics. It is simply this: when you are impatient and when an elevator ride lasts only two minutes, to you it can feel like an hour. However, to somebody who does not want to arrive somewhere in two minutes, it feels like only a few seconds. Obi-Wan had just been the former part of the equation.  
After what seemed like hours, the door finally opened and the jedi knight once more ran out into the hordes of people, down into the infirmary at the other end of the hall. Using his power of force, the two swinging doors flew open and stayed that way until he ran through, his cape flowing in the breeze that he created.   
Inside of the sterile white room, he grew wary. Why weren't the doctors here? What was going on? Almost immediately, he felt the force shift and knew what, no who, was standing next to him.  
Standing there, smiling like an idiot was none other than Jar Jar Binks. Obi-Wan glared at the gungan. He knew that anger led to the path of the dark side, but he still felt a strong urge to kill the clumsy creature. Was it not his fault that the Imperial senate fell and led to the Empire and the destruction of the Jedi order? Was it not he who had cast the vote to give Palpatine emergency powers? Was it not this...this...IMBECILE who had essentially betrayed them all? Obi-Wan did not stop to question his being here, his panic was far too great.  
  
"Get out of my way, Binks!"  
"Mesa want to help!"  
"Help?? YOU?!?! Why? You're worthless...you're weak! And I, for one, would rather die, than to have you help me! Now either move out of my way or I shall go through you,"  
  
  
Moving swiftly out of the angry jedi's way, Jar Jar Binks looked at him. Obi-Wan glared at him once more and pushed past him. As he took a few steps, the gungans reaction had begun to slowly dawn on him. He hadn't done anything...well, JarJarish. This struck Obi-Wan as odd. Why was the gungan looking at him? Why didn't he just simply blubber about and say how sorry he was like he always did. How he would plead and get down on his hands and knees and cry about. No, he didn't do any of the sort. He just...LOOKED at him. As if saying that Obi-Wan was right. That he was worthless and he was weak. He had just looked at Obi-Wan and moved out of his way.   
Turning around and looking once more at the gungan, he realised his mistake.  
  
"Jar Jar..."  
"No, yousa right, obi. I is worthlessness. Is all my faults..but I makings it right. I trying..."  
"I know you are Jar Jar. I apologise," he said, smiling slightly.  
  
Turning back to the problem at hand, he once more made his way into the infirmary where a new hope was about to be born.   
  
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She awoke to the sound of rhythmic(sp?) beeping. Well, that was the first thing she heard anyway. Very carefully opening her eyes, she took in her surroundings. She was in a white room with only a silver droid, probably THX-1138, for company. (Little Lucas joke peoples!) She could also feel a small, cool breeze at the top of her head, she must have been under a ventilation shaft. Thank goodness for that, she thought.   
Sensing her charge's journey back into reality, the droid came over to her, checking her vitals. THX-1138 was a nurse droid and she was in charge of Padme. Her design was almost identical to that of C-3PO's but her attitude was much more along the lines of R2-D2.   
  
"How did you sleep, ma'am?"  
"Very well, thank you. Why am I in the infirmary?"  
"Don't you remember? Master Kenobi caused quite a ruckus amongst all of the personnel trying to get you down here,"  
  
Like lightning, the earlier events came jumping back to her. Finally realising that her stomach was much flatter than usual, she asked for her child.   
  
"Which one?"  
"I beg your pardon?" Padme was confused, "what are you talking about? My baby? Where is it?"  
"Ma'am please calm down--"  
"I WILL NOT! Where is my child?!?!"  
  
Immediatly, the droid grabbed a cloth on the table and put it over Padme's mouth, silencing her. Padme stared wide-eyed at the mechanical object with hate. There was also a silent vow of dismantling and melting in her eyes.  
  
"Ma'am, what I mean to say, if you would just be quiet! Is, that which of your children would you like to see? There were two, not one,"  
  
Realisation dawned, and the droid removed the cloth from her mouth. As if the information were too much for her to handle, she looked down at her bed in surprise and amazement. Two? She had only been prepared for one, but there were two? How was she supposed to protect TWO children? One, alone seemed hard enough, but TWO?!?!?! It was almost too much.   
As if sensing her mistress' distress, the droid left the room but only for a moment and came back with a small bundle in her robotic arms. It cooed and made tiny gurgling noises and, as if by instinct, Padme was alerted to the sound. Holding her arms out, THX-1138 brought the child over to its mother. It stared up at her with big brown eyes. It had his eyes, she noted. Looking to the robot once again, it told her that child was a girl.  
  
"A girl? My daughter? You're so beautiful...you will be so strong. I just know it,"  
  
The door to the infirmary opened and Obi-Wan stepped inside. His hair was tousled and he appeared that he would collapse at any moment. Smiling boyishly at Padme, he moved closer. Padme noticed that he had the other bundle in his arms. She peered over the top of the blanket and looked at the tiny face that was scrunched up and in sleep.   
  
"This one is a boy," said Obi-Wan, then, nodding to the girl, "She was the first born,"  
"Was she? Is everything...there?"  
"Yes. Ten fingers and eleven toes," he said smiling.  
  
He laughed at her panicked expression before she realised that he had made a joke. Laughing to herself as well, she wondered about the last time there had been a joke told. When was the last time that there had been laughter in her life? Looking back towards the small child in her arms, she knew that those days were not dead. Yet, she also knew that there was to be yet more sadness.  
  
"What will we do? It's going to be hard enough protecting one, but two? What if Anakin finds one of them? What if he knows? What will we do, Obi-Wan? You have to tell me!"  
  
The baby cried in his arms and she immediately silenced, looking worriedly at the screaming babe. It had sensed its mothers apprehension and fear. Obi-Wan looked down at the boy as well, and an idea struck his brain. If this baby could sense his mother's fear, and he was only a few hours old, what else could he do? Fear grabbed at Obi-Wan's heart and squeezed it until he thought he couldn't breathe anymore.   
  
"Your son is force sensitive," he choked out, "Vader must not find this boy at any costs!"  
  
Seeing the fear in his eyes, she herself grew afraid at what this would mean. What would Vader do if he ever got ahold of her son? Would he try to bring him over to the dark side? Would he become evil like his father? A million questions racked her brain. Fear and panick raced through her heart. Neither adult noticed a tiny hand reach out.  
  
Silence.  
  
Both adults, looked down at the two children in surprise. There was the girl, a beauty with her fathers brown eyes, smiling her baby smile at her brother, who was looking at her with his fear-filled green. She was the strong one. She would protect her brother.   
  
'You be awright, baby brother,' she seemed to say, 'I won't let that mean man get you,'  
  
Both children laid there, gazing at the other, each sharing a special secret. Looking at her two children, Padme made a silent plea towards the older man. He gingerly laid down the small bundle and made his exit and his brain started to rack itself for an idea.   
Picking up her son, she gazed into his green eyes. She gasped. He had angel eyes. In his eyes, there lay a promise. No more darkness, only light. No more pain, only joy. No more weakness, only strength. All in the eyes of a boy. Her salvation lay in her arms and she was at a loss for words. Her, a diplomat, once the great queen of Naboo, and she could not find words enough to express the joy she was feeling. She could feel herself cry once more, only this time these were not tears of sorrow and pain, but tears of joy. She carefully opened the blanket and began to count. She knew they were all there, but call it a mother's instinct, she wanted to be sure. He was perfect. Absolutely perfect in everyway.   
  
"I shall call you Luke," she said, "and you," she looked towards her daughter, "will be called Leia. My two perfect angels,"  
  
Almost immediately, Leia began crying once more. She obviously felt she wasn't getting the attention that she deserved. And rightly so! She was a princess after all. At least in her mother's eyes, she was. Very carefully and awkwardly, she cradled both children to her breast.   
  
"Shh, little one. Hush now. No more tears, love,"  
  
No more tears. How wonderful that would be. No more pain, no more suffering. She smiled to herself again. A light caught her eye out of the porthole. They were passing a quasar. How beautiful it was, how pure. Feeling the warmth that came from the light on her face, she closed her eyes in contentment. She once more thought of Anakin, he was dead now, and he would never come back to her the same. It was a sad truth, but one she had to face.   
Looking once more towards her children, she noted that both of them were watching the quasar with a curiosity that prayed never die. It was at this point that she realised the awful truth of what she had to do. She called Obi-Wan back into the room once more.  
  
----------------------  
  
"Goodbye Padme. I shall never forget you,"  
"And I shall never forget you,"  
  
Very carefully the two hugged, each trying not to jostle their precious cargo too roughly. Smiling a sad smile, Obi-Wan turned around and entered the starship that awaited him on the platform. Padme walked to where it was safe and watched as Obi-Wan's ship took off to Tattooine, her son with him.   
  
As she watched the ship, zoom out into space, Leia immediately started crying at the ships departure. It was as if she could sense her brother was leaving her, and she would never see him again. This was not to be so. However, a smiling Padme looked toward Leia,   
  
"No more tears, daughter. For a new day has come, and we are the bringers of it."  
  
And, somewhere in Obi-Wan's arms, little Luke smiled.   
  
  
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I was waiting for so long  
For a miracle to come  
Everyone told me to be strong  
Hold on and don't shed a tear  
  
So through darkness and good times  
I knew I'd make it through  
And the world thought I had it all  
But I was waiting for you  
  
Hush now  
I see a light in the sky  
Oh it's almost blinding me  
I can't believe I've been touched by an angel  
With love  
  
Let the rain come down  
And wash away my tears  
Let it fill my soul  
And drown my fears  
Let it shatter the walls  
For a new sun  
  
A new day has come  
  
When it was dark now there is light  
Where there was pain, now there's joy  
Where there was weakness, I found my strength  
All in the eyes of a boy  
  
Hush now  
I see a light in the sky  
Oh it's almost blinding me  
I can't believe I've been touched by an angel  
With love  
  
Let the rain come down  
And wash away my tears  
Let it fill my soul  
And drown my fears  
Let it shatter the walls   
For a new sun  
A new day has come  
A new day has come  
  
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A/N: Cause it's like cabin fever! It's burning in my brain! I've got cabin fever! And I'm going insane! Ok! Please review....it just shows me that y'all really like it. Also, *quick plug* please read my story "Purple Flames" and give me your honest and TRUE opinion on it. ^_^ I greatly appreciate it. Cheerio, pip pip, and rice krispies!  
  
  
Special Thanks: Red, Lady Kenobi, Beth Kenobi, and siri. They've always left me a review for my stories. Thanks guys! you're the best!! ::HUGGLE:: 


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